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The leadership of Roscosmos will change the tradition at the cosmodrome of pre-launch communication with cosmonauts departing for the International Space Station (ISS). Instead of an official one, this procedure will become more personal and journalists will not be allowed to attend, a source in the rocket and space industry told ITAR-TASS. Roscosmos took this step despite the fact that, as is known, traditions are very important for cosmonauts, since people in this profession are often very superstitious and observe them before a flight.
“Previously, after putting the cosmonauts in flight suits, they, being in an isolated room, communicated via loudspeaker through a glass partition with relatives and the management of the rocket and space industry. Now, having put on the spacesuits, the crew will communicate only with their families. The management of Roscosmos decided to refuse the following ceremony of farewell to the astronauts, journalists will not be present when relatives communicate with the crew,” the agency’s interlocutor said.
Previously, when communicating through glass with cosmonauts, the following were usually present: the head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin, the head of the Roscosmos manned programs department Alexey Krasnov, the president of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation Vitaly Lopota, the head of the Cosmonaut Training Center Sergei Krikalev, a representative of NASA or the European Space Agency, and other officials faces. “The decision of the new industry leadership breaks the tradition that has developed at the cosmodrome,” the agency’s interlocutor noted.
In addition, the leadership of Roscosmos has changed the location of the report of cosmonauts leaving for the ISS about their readiness for flight. This ceremony was moved from the installation and testing building to the launch complex, where only TV channel operators are allowed.
Relatives will communicate with the departing crew on the night of Sunday to Monday, November 14. The ship's launch is scheduled for 8:14 Moscow time. It will deliver the crew of the next long-term expedition - ISS-29/30 - into orbit. The main crew includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin, as well as NASA astronaut Daniel Burbank. Their backups are Roscosmos cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin and NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba.
Early this morning, the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft docked to it was removed from the installation and testing complex. The rocket was installed on the launch pad of the first, Gagarin, site. According to tradition, journalists watched the rocket being transported from the MIK to the launch pad together with specialists from the rocket and space industry.
For the sake of young cosmonauts, tourists were left without flights
The management of Roscosmos also decided not to sell seats on Soyuz spacecraft to space tourists, which are “reserved” for the flight of Russian cosmonauts, a source in the rocket and space industry told Interfax.
“Under the previous leadership of Roscosmos, space tourists were given the place of one of the Russian crew members, thereby delaying the flight of a cosmonaut “thrown out” from the crew by years and destroying the team preparing for the flight. The new management of the agency decided that if a cosmonaut is declared a member of the crew, he must fly, his place on the ship cannot be sold to tourists,” the agency’s interlocutor said.
According to him, due to the practice of selling Russian places in the Soyuz spacecraft for tourists, the already long line of astronauts for the flight has grown noticeably. “Many cosmonauts have to wait 10 years or more for a flight. Such a bleak prospect does not encourage young people to join the cosmonaut corps,” the source said.
Let us remind you that sudden changes in traditions are carried out by the new leadership of Roscosmos, which since April of this year has been headed by Vladimir Popovkin, who replaced Anatoly Perminov in this post.
Perminov was dismissed with the wording “due to reaching the age limit for being in the state civil service,” but in fact his departure was preceded by a number of serious failures, one of which was the loss of three GLONASS satellites, which fell in December 2010. Pacific Ocean due to errors in preparation for the launch of the launch vehicle. Then in March, a month before Perminov’s dismissal, the most important anniversary launch of Soyuz TMA-21 was postponed “for technical reasons”, in connection with which visits to Baikonur by high-ranking persons were planned.
The most incredible customs and traditions of astronauts - peeing on a bus and kicking a friend
The “cosmic superstitions” were started by the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is reliably known that he did not like starts on Mondays and always moved the date if it fell on that day of the week. Why is unknown. Spaceships did not fly on Mondays in the Soviet Union for the first three years of the space age. Then they started flying, after which 11 accidents occurred. Since 1965, Monday has been considered almost an official “non-start” day in Soviet and now Russian cosmonautics, RIA Novosti reports.
There are also “unlucky dates” at Baikonur. The start is never scheduled for October 24th. On this day, no serious work is carried out at the launch sites. On October 24, 1960, an R-16 ICBM launch vehicle exploded on the Baikonur launch pad, killing dozens of people. And on October 24, 1963, an R-9A rocket burst into flames on the launch pad, killing eight people.
Another superstition of the famous designer was the “happy” operator who always pressed the “start” button on command, Captain Smirnitsky. Not a single rocket launch was complete without Smirnitsky. Even when he had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that this man had a “light hand.”
The same Korolev strictly forbade one of his designers to appear on the launch pad during the launch (once some trouble occurred while he was on duty).
Astronauts never sign autographs before their first flight. Some people avoid signing autographs in black ink on principle. However, the entire crew must sign a bottle of vodka, which they drink on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe, after a successful flight.
Cosmonauts are also happy to leave autographs on the door of the hotel room where they spend the night before the launch. Painting over or washing away these autographs is strictly prohibited.
They say that because of superstitions, they were afraid to send Valentina Tereshkova into space - everyone remembered the old naval omen about a woman on a ship. But the Soviet leadership was not distinguished by superstition. In 1963, on the eve of the international women's conference in Moscow, it was decided that a woman should fly into space.
For a long time, people with mustaches were not allowed into space. During the flight of the mustachioed Viktor Zholobov there were problems, and the program had to be terminated early.
Cosmonauts will never call the launch of any spacecraft “the last”, but will replace it with the word “last” or “final”. Also, astronauts never say goodbye to those seeing them off.
At the cosmodrome in Plesetsk, before launching a launch vehicle, they must write “Tanya” on it. They say that this name was written on the first rocket by an officer in love with a certain Tanya. One day, when they forgot to write a lucky name on the body, the rocket exploded before launch.
Before launch, astronauts must watch “White Sun of the Desert.” Traditionally, they take a sprig of wormwood with them on a flight, since it retains its scent longer than other plants and reminds them of the Earth, and it is customary for the crew to be escorted to the launch complex to the song “Earth in the Porthole.”
It is a common practice for astronauts to pee on the wheel of the bus taking them to the launch pad. After this, the suit is tightly zipped up, and the next opportunity to relieve oneself will present itself only after a few hours in outer space. The ritual seems to have started from the time of Yuri Gagarin and is still maintained. Others consider the founder of this tradition to be General Designer Sergei Korolev, who always irrigated the rocket before launch.
Finally, before the launch, the astronauts receive a friendly kick from their boss.
But Russian cosmonauts and rocket scientists do not have any special superstitions associated with the 13th. Of course, few people like this number, but we definitely don’t have a “Friday the 13th” craze. But NASA doesn’t really like the 13th - there have already been unpleasant incidents. Thus, the famous lunar Apollo 13 set off for the earth’s satellite on April 11, and on April 13, an explosion occurred on board the ship - one of the oxygen tanks exploded.
Astronauts are considered perhaps the most superstitious people on the planet. Traditionally, they take a sprig of wormwood with them on a flight, since it retains its scent longer than other plants and reminds them of the Earth, and it is customary for the crew to be escorted to the launch complex to the song “Earth in the Porthole.”
Black Mondays and unlucky dates
The “cosmic superstitions” were started by the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is reliably known that Korolev did not like starts on Mondays and always moved the date if it fell on Monday. Why remains a big mystery. Nevertheless, Korolev defended his point of view at the very top, and because of this, serious conflicts even flared up. Spaceships did not fly on Mondays in the Soviet Union for the first three years of the space age. Then they started flying, which caused 11 accidents. Since 1965, Monday has been considered almost an official “non-launch” day in Soviet and now Russian cosmonautics.
There are also “unlucky dates” at Baikonur. The start is never scheduled for October 24th. On this day, no serious work is carried out at the launch sites. On October 24, 1960, an R-16 ICBM launch vehicle exploded on the Baikonur launch pad, killing dozens of people. On October 24, 1963, an R-9A rocket burst into flames on the launch pad. Eight people were burned.
Happy operator
Another superstition of the famous designer was the “happy” operator who always pressed the “start” button on command, Captain Smirnitsky. Not a single rocket launch was complete without Smirnitsky. Even when he had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that the man had a “light hand.”
The same Korolev strictly forbade one of his designers to appear on the launch pad during the launch (once some trouble occurred while he was on duty) and personally made sure that he did not even show his nose.
Autographs
Astronauts never sign autographs before their first flight. Some people avoid signing autographs in black ink on principle. However, the entire crew must sign a bottle of vodka, which they drink on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe, after a successful flight.
Cosmonauts are also happy to leave autographs on the door of the hotel room where they spend the night before the launch. Painting over or washing away these autographs is strictly prohibited.
Woman on board
They say that because of superstitions, they were afraid to send Valentina Tereshkova into space - everyone remembered the old naval omen about a woman on a ship. But the Soviet leadership was not distinguished by superstition. In 1963, on the eve of the international conference of women in Moscow, it was a woman who was supposed to fly into space.
Themselves with a mustache
For a long time, people with mustaches were not allowed into space. During the flight of the mustachioed Viktor Zholobov there were problems, and the program had to be terminated early.
Other astronaut oddities
Cosmonauts will never call the launch of any spacecraft “the last”: for example, “the last launch to the Mir station...” they would prefer to call it “final”, “final”. Also, astronauts never say goodbye to those seeing them off.
At the cosmodrome in Plesetsk, before launching a launch vehicle, they must write “Tanya” on it. They say that this name was written on the first rocket by an officer in love with a certain Tanya. One day, when they forgot to write a lucky name on the body, the rocket exploded before launch.
Before launch, astronauts must watch “White Sun of the Desert.”
It is a common practice for astronauts to pee on the wheel of the bus taking them to the launch pad. After this, the suit is tightly zipped up, and the next opportunity to relieve oneself will present itself only after a few hours in outer space. The ritual seems to have started from the time of Yuri Gagarin and is still maintained. Others consider the founder of this tradition to be General Designer Sergei Korolev, who always irrigated the rocket before launch.
Astronauts are considered perhaps the most superstitious people on the planet. Traditionally, they take a sprig of wormwood with them on a flight, since it retains its scent longer than other plants and reminds them of the Earth, and it is customary for the crew to be escorted to the launch complex to the song “Earth in the Porthole.”
Black Mondays and unlucky dates
The beginning of “space superstitions” was laid by the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is reliably known that Korolev did not like launches on Mondays and always moved the date if it fell on Monday. Why - remains a big mystery. Nevertheless, Korolev defended his point of view at the very top, because of this, serious conflicts even flared up. Spaceships did not fly on Mondays in the Soviet Union - the first three years of the space era. Then they began to fly, there were 11 accidents. Since 1965, Monday is considered in the Soviet and now Russian cosmonautics. almost an official “non-starting” day.
There are also “unlucky dates” at Baikonur. The launch is never scheduled for October 24. On this day, no serious work is carried out on the launch pads at all. On October 24, 1960, an R-16 ICBM launch vehicle exploded on the Baikonur launch pad, killing dozens On October 24, 1963, an R-9A rocket caught fire on the launch pad.
Happy operator
Another superstition of the famous designer was the “happy” operator who always pressed the “start” button upon command, Captain Smirnitsky. Not a single rocket launch was complete without Smirnitsky. Even when he had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that the man had a “light hand.”
The same Korolev strictly forbade one of his designers to appear on the launch pad during the launch (once some trouble occurred while he was on duty) and personally made sure that he did not even show his nose.
Autographs
Astronauts never sign autographs before their first flight. Some people avoid signing autographs in black ink on principle. However, the entire crew must sign a bottle of vodka, which they drink on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe, after a successful flight.
Cosmonauts are also happy to leave autographs on the door of the hotel room where they spend the night before the launch. Painting over or washing away these autographs is strictly prohibited.
Alcohol
The first time you can “consume” is 12 days before the launch, when the main and backup crews arrive at Baikonur for a “departure.” Cosmonauts of the “backup” are required to drink 100 grams of pure technical alcohol. The “main crew” can only drink a sip of champagne - after their approval by the state commission as part of the crew.
Half an hour before the start, the backup cosmonauts drink “to the luck” of the main crew together with journalists. Only twice did the backups not take part in this tradition. The cases were unsuccessful, and since then the half-hour tradition has been kept sacred. After returning from the flight, the cosmonauts land their name tree on the cosmonaut alley at Baikonur.
Woman on board
They say that because of superstitions, they were afraid to send Valentina Tereshkova into space - everyone remembered the old naval omen about a woman on a ship. But the Soviet leadership was not distinguished by superstition. In 1963, on the eve of the international conference of women in Moscow, it was a woman who was supposed to fly into space.
Themselves with a mustache
For a long time, people with mustaches were not allowed into space. During the flight of the mustachioed Viktor Zholobov there were problems, and the program had to be terminated early.
Other astronaut oddities
Together with the crew, a soft toy is sent into space, which not only plays the role of a talisman, but also helps the astronauts catch the moment when a state of weightlessness sets in.
Cosmonauts will never call the launch of any spacecraft “the last”: for example, “the last launch to the Mir station...” they would prefer to call it the “last”, “final”. Also, astronauts never say goodbye to those seeing them off.
Cosmonauts must wave goodbye from the stairs before boarding the spacecraft.
At the cosmodrome in Plesetsk, before launching a launch vehicle, they always write “Tanya” on it. They say that this name was written on the first rocket by an officer in love with a certain Tanya. Once, when they forgot to write the lucky name on the body, the rocket exploded before the launch.
A day before the launch, it is customary to watch the film “White Sun of the Desert”; all cosmonauts have been doing this for more than 30 years. This is due to a tragic page in the history of Russian cosmonautics: the death on June 30, 1971, during the return to Earth of the crew consisting of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsayev . Next flight on Soyuz-12? passed safely, and the cosmonauts found out that before the flight the crew watched the film “White Sun of the Desert.” The following crews also watched this film. After that, everyone flew into space without problems.
It is a common practice for astronauts to pee on the wheel of the bus taking them to the launch pad. After this, the suit is tightly zipped up, and the next opportunity to relieve oneself will present itself only after a few hours in outer space. The ritual seems to have started from the time of Yuri Gagarin, who asked to stop the car in the Kazakh steppe on the way to Baikonur. Others consider the founder of this tradition to be General Designer Sergei Korolev, who always irrigated the rocket before launch.
Finally, before the launch, the astronauts receive a friendly kick from their boss.
But Russian cosmonauts and rocket scientists do not have any special superstitions associated with the 13th. Of course, few people like this number, but we definitely don’t have a “Friday the 13th” craze. But NASA doesn’t like the 13th very much - there have already been unpleasant incidents. So, the famous lunar “Apollo 13”? went to the earth's satellite on April 11, and on April 13, an explosion occurred on board the ship - one of the oxygen tanks exploded.
Illustration copyright Reuters
From the blessing of the rocket by an Orthodox priest to the “toilet” pause at the right rear wheel, all astronauts going to the International Space Station follow many traditions and superstitions, the main of which originated in the USSR, during the time of Sergei Korolev.
Astronauts are a very disciplined and highly professional public. Having passed through a strict selection sieve, with at least five years of intensive training behind them, they know how to control a spacecraft, troubleshoot problems on an orbital station and use a space toilet. But none of them wants to leave things to chance.
Currently, the Russian Soyuz is the only spacecraft capable of delivering astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). But before you get on board, you have to navigate a minefield of superstitions, traditional procedures and ceremonies.
As I recently learned during a visit to the Russian Mission Control Center, myths, legends and traditions have been formed around launches since the day when Yuri Gagarin first flew into orbit in April 1961 (in Russia it is believed that "space superstitions" began with the legendary Sergei Korolev - BBC comment).
Not all of these traditions make sense. But when you're about to sit atop a massive tower containing 274 tons of explosive rocket fuel, you don't want to risk a black cat crossing your path.
Here is a list of rituals we have compiled (of course, far from complete) that will have to be observed before boarding a Russian rocket.
1. Support group
Baikonur in November. A prickly wind rages across the vast Kazakh steppe, lifting snow from the icy ground. The lead-gray sky merges with the gray runway of the airfield. Icicles hang menacingly from broken hangar gutters.
Illustration copyright AP Image caption Astronauts are always given a warm farewell. It is only forbidden to say goodbye to themA small jet taxis to the platform and men, wrapped in thick fur coats, take their places along the ramp. As a brass band plays from a Soviet-era sound system, three figures descend onto the cracked concrete. Then a line of women in coats, hats and gloves begin waving glittering gold pom-poms.
This is the traditional welcome given to astronauts and cosmonauts arriving at Baikonur. The origin of this custom remains unclear, but no flight is complete without a show with golden pom-poms.
2. Swivel chair
The immediate and very debilitating effect of parting with the planet is “space sickness”, which even the most trained astronauts complain about. Today, when a flight to the ISS takes just six hours, during which you have to make dozens of course corrections, a vomiting crew is the last thing you need.
Illustration copyright AP Image caption Many traditions and rituals began to take shape under such pioneers as GagarinOne solution that Russian space physiologists are proposing is to try to deliberately disorient the astronauts before launch. Several hours before the flight, all crew members are forced to spin in swivel chairs and turned upside down on special beds to prepare them for weightlessness.
There is no consensus in the space community about how effective all this is. However, if you have a hygiene bag handy, this is something you can try at home.
3. Tree
The Alley of Cosmonauts at Baikonur is one of the most poignant and touching memorials dedicated to space flights. Trees have been planted here for the last 50 years, and this is not only a tribute to the people who have been in space, but also a living monument to those who did not return (a tree planted by Yuri Gagarin also grows here - BBC note).
Before the flight, each crew member plants his own personalized seedling - a task that is not difficult in the balmy Kazakh spring, but becomes very difficult in the harsh winter, when the ground is hard as rock.
4. DVD with a cult film from the 1970s
What do people do the day before the start? They are watching a movie. But not just any movie. It's about about the film "White Sun of the Desert", which IMDb (the world's largest cinema database) characterizes as "an American Western with a Russian twist."
Illustration copyright AP Image caption It is better for astronauts not to look at the rocket when it is being transported to the launch site. The rest - you canIt's probably a classic for Russia, but since I've never watched it, I don't have much to say about it. However, every astronaut who has flown from Baikonur since the early 1970s is well acquainted with the pre-launch ritual of watching this film.
The beginning of mandatory viewing of "White Sun of the Desert" is associated with the tragedy of June 30, 1971, when the crew of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsaev died. The next flight - more than two years later - went safely, and it turned out that the crew had watched this film before the launch.
5. Signature in the right place
In Russia it is customary to sign for everything. Why should space be an exception?
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption After the night before the flight spent at the hotel, you must sign the door of your roomIt has become a tradition that crew members leave autographs on the wall in the museum at Baikonur and on the doors of the room in the hotel at Baikonur where they spent their last night before the launch (they should never be washed).
Like the trees of Cosmonaut Alley, these signatures serve as a testament to the longevity of the Soviet and Russian space programs. In addition, upon return, crew members often sign the charred hull of their space capsule.
6. Coins and priest
It is considered a bad omen if crew members see the rocket being taken to the launch pad, so they try to keep them away from this place.
Like the crew, engineers, maintenance personnel and relatives of astronauts also have their own traditions.
The Soyuz is transported from the hangar along a railway track. This happens agonizingly slowly: it takes a diesel locomotive several hours to deliver the rocket to the launch site. When the train is a few centimeters from the launch pad, those present place coins on the rails, which must be flattened by the wheels. It is believed that this will bring good luck to the flight.
By the way, as soon as the rocket is on the launch pad, it is consecrated Orthodox priest. He also blesses the crew (this tradition is not as old as many others).
7. Soft toy
Peer into the interior of the capsule in the video during any Russian rocket launch and you'll notice a cute plush toy hanging from the dashboard. During the recent Expedition 40 launch to the ISS, it was a giraffe owned by the daughter of NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman.
Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption Reid Wiseman took his daughter's toy giraffe into orbitToys are not only a talisman, they have an important purpose. When the launch vehicle burns out and the Soyuz enters orbit, the toys “float” up and hang in the air, showing the crew that they are already in weightlessness.
This is somewhat reminiscent of using a canary in a mine to monitor air quality, although in our space case any toy will do.
8. CD with Russian love songs
As far as we know, in the entire history of Soviet and Russian cosmonautics, only four cosmonauts died during the execution of a mission: the pilot spaceship Soyuz-1 Vladimir Komarov in 1967 and three crew members of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft in 1971. No other country can boast such a remarkable safety record, and the Russians strive to maintain it.
Illustration copyright AP Image caption Beetle at Baikonur? There is no such tradition! Or does it still exist?The logic behind the appearance of superstitions is simple: if something related to a flight was done in a certain way and the flight was successful, then it is necessary to repeat it next time. Why take risks by changing something? One of these traditions was established by the very first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
In April 1961, Gagarin sat, wearing a seat belt, in a capsule on the launch pad. The hatch had already been battened down, all checks had been completed, and the ship was ready to fly. Since there was nothing to see on the instrument panel a few centimeters from his face, Gagarin asked mission control to play some music over the intercom. The choice fell on a collection of Russian love songs.
Exactly the same thing happens today, although the choice of music is now much wider and the wishes of the entire international crew are taken into account. For every Russian love song there is always at least one performance of the composition Rocket Man or, say, German techno.
9. Empty your bladder
Apparently, the strangest, in the opinion of Westerners, tradition of the Soviet-Russian space program also dates back to Gagarin. They say that on the way to the launch site, he asked the bus driver to stop. Gagarin got out of the car and urinated on the rear right wheel. They say this tradition dates back to the times of the Great Patriotic War, when military pilots seemed to act.
In 1961, this made sense: the world's first cosmonaut did not want droplets of urine floating inside his capsule in zero gravity. Today, when astronauts wear diapers and are packed into three-layer spacesuits that are checked for leaks before boarding the bus, this makes no practical sense.
However, male astronauts still get off the bus, unzip their spacesuit and relieve themselves on the rear right tire. The suit technicians then have to repack them. Female astronauts have been known to carry a bottle of urine with them to throw on the wheel.
About the author. Richard Hollingham is a journalist and host of the Space Explorers podcast. He edits the British Space Agency's Space:UK magazine, is a launch commentator for the European Space Agency, and presents science programs on BBC Radio.
Astronauts are considered perhaps the most superstitious people on the planet. Traditionally, they take a sprig of wormwood with them on a flight, since it retains its scent longer than other plants and reminds them of the Earth, and it is customary for the crew to be escorted to the launch complex to the song “Earth in the Porthole.”
Black Mondays and unlucky dates
“Cosmic superstitions” were started by the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is reliably known that Korolev did not like starts on Mondays and always moved the date if it fell on Monday. Why remains a big mystery. Nevertheless, Korolev defended his point of view at the very top, and because of this, serious conflicts even flared up.
Spaceships did not fly on Mondays in the Soviet Union for the first three years of the space age. Then they started flying, and 11 accidents occurred. Since 1965, Monday has been considered almost an official “non-launch” day in Soviet and now Russian cosmonautics.
There are also “unlucky dates” at Baikonur. The start is never scheduled for October 24th. On this day, no serious work is carried out at the launch sites. On October 24, 1960, an R-16 ICBM launch vehicle exploded on the Baikonur launch pad, killing dozens of people. On October 24, 1963, an R-9A rocket burst into flames on the launch pad. Eight people were burned.
Happy operator
Another superstition of the famous designer was the “happy” operator who always pressed the “start” button upon command, Captain Smirnitsky. Not a single rocket launch was complete without Smirnitsky. Even when he had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that the man had a “light hand.”
The same Korolev strictly forbade one of his designers to appear on the launch pad during the launch (once some trouble occurred while he was on duty) and personally made sure that he did not even show his nose.
48 hours before the start
The closer the launch day gets, the more elaborate the rituals become, and the level of superstition increases. The Soyuz rocket rolls out onto the launch pad 48 hours before this moment. The technicians monitoring the passage of a huge rocket on a special train place coins on the rails - also for good luck. But the ship's crew itself is strictly forbidden to observe this process - just like the groom seeing the bride in festive attire before the wedding - otherwise they will fail. But future cosmonauts are required to get a haircut on this day. This, in turn, is reminiscent of monastic tonsure: thereby the astronauts renounce everything earthly. Their life from now on is only in space.
Cosmonauts will never call the launch of any spacecraft “the last”: for example, “the last launch to the Mir station...” they would prefer to call it “final”, “final”.
And so the crew commander gives a report to a suitable official present at the cosmodrome. He reports his readiness to carry out the mission and receives the go-ahead to board. At the same time, everyone needs to repeat Gagarin’s famous gesture - wave his hand. In return they do not say goodbye: a bad omen.
Autographs
Astronauts never sign autographs before their first flight. Some people avoid signing autographs in black ink on principle. However, the entire crew must sign a bottle of vodka, which they drink on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe, after a successful flight.
Cosmonauts are also happy to leave autographs on the door of the hotel room where they spend the night before the launch. Painting over or washing away these autographs is strictly prohibited.
Alcohol
The first time you can “use” it is 12 days before the launch, when the main and backup crews arrive at Baikonur for “detention.” Cosmonauts of the “double” are required to pass 100 grams of pure technical alcohol. The “main crew” can only drink a sip of champagne - after approval by the state commission as part of the crew.
Half an hour before the launch, the backup cosmonauts drink “to the good luck” of the main crew together with the journalists. Only twice did understudies not take part in this tradition. The occasions were unfortunate, and the half-hour tradition has been kept sacred ever since. After returning from the flight, the cosmonauts plant their name tree on the cosmonaut alley at Baikonur.
Woman on board
They say that because of superstitions, they were afraid to send Valentina Tereshkova into space - everyone remembered the old naval omen about a woman on a ship. But the Soviet leadership was not distinguished by superstition. In 1963, on the eve of the international conference of women in Moscow, it was a woman who was supposed to fly into space.
Themselves with a mustache
For a long time, people with mustaches were not allowed into space. There were problems during the flight of mustachioed cosmonaut Viktor Zholobov, and the program had to be terminated early.
Other astronaut oddities
The talisman is sent into space with the crew. As a rule, this is a small toy attached to a rope, and its common name is “Boris”. “Boris” is mounted in the command compartment so that it can be seen by cameras monitoring the crew during launch and entry into orbit. “Boris” is a hybrid of superstition and practical use. It serves not only as a talisman for the crew, but also as a simple “beacon” for ground services, indicating whether the ship has reached a height where earthly gravity is practically no longer effective and space gravity begins. weightlessness
Cosmonauts must wave goodbye from the stairs before boarding the spacecraft.
At the cosmodrome in Plesetsk, before launching a launch vehicle, they must write “Tanya” on it. They say that this name was written on the first rocket by an officer in love with a certain Tanya. One day, when they forgot to write a lucky name on the body, the rocket exploded before launch.
A day before the launch, it is customary to watch the film “White Sun of the Desert”; all astronauts have been doing this for more than 30 years. This is due to a tragic page in the history of Russian cosmonautics: the death on June 30, 1971, during the return to Earth of the crew consisting of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsaev. The next flight on Soyuz-12 went well, and the cosmonauts found out that before the flight the crew watched the film “White Sun of the Desert.” The following crews also viewed this picture. After that, everyone flew into space without problems.
It is a common practice for astronauts to pee on the wheel of the bus taking them to the launch pad. After this, the suit is tightly zipped up, and the next opportunity to relieve oneself will present itself only after a few hours in outer space. The ritual seems to have started from the time of Yuri Gagarin, who asked to stop the car in the Kazakh steppe on the way to Baikonur. Others consider the founder of this tradition to be General Designer Sergei Korolev, who always irrigated the rocket before launch.